This invention relates to an indexing motion machine and method for advancing and sealing preformed containers, resulting in vacuum packaged food products or the like.
To produce discrete individual packages of food products such as frankfurters, sliced luncheon meat, cheese or the like, it has been known to employ packaging machines providing either continuous motion or indexing motion. Continuous motion machines such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,897,985 issued Feb. 6, 1990 to Buchko, et al, typically provide a higher rate of package production than indexing machines. However, indexing machines have been in existence for a long time, and their design continues to be refined, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,170,611 issued Dec. 15, 1992 to Buchko et al and U.S. Pat. No. 5,205,110 issued Apr. 27, 1993 to Buchko.
The present invention has as its object to provide an indexing motion package advancing and sealing machine which is capable of producing packages at a rate equivalent to or greater than the rate of which packages can be produced on a continuous-type machine. A further object of the invention is to provide an indexing motion advancing and sealing machine utilizing programmable motor controls to control the incremental movement of the various components of the package forming and advancing machine, to provide accurate positioning of the machine, and to provide variability in the package dimensions to accommodate the packaging of different products. It is a further object of the invention to provide an improved apparatus and method for supplying preformed containers to a package advancing and sealing machine.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, an indexing motion machine for processing of preformed containers includes a preformed container supply arrangement for supplying a preformed container along a first path to an advancement mechanism associated with the machine and movable in a second path substantially parallel to the first path of the preformed container supply mechanism wherein the preformed container and the advancement mechanism are temporarily maintained stationary along the respective first and second paths. A clamping device located on the advancement mechanism clamps the preformed container as it is maintained stationary along its first path on the preformed container supply mechanism. The preformed container supply mechanism is movable along a third path from a first position in which the preformed container is disengaged from the clamping device to a second position in which the preformed container is grippingly engaged by the clamping device. A first arrangement moves the preformed container supply mechanism between the first position and the second position while a second arrangement indexingly moves the advancement mechanism and the preformed container to be processed along the machine after the preformed container has been grippingly engaged by the clamping device. In this aspect of the invention, the first arrangement for moving the preformed container between the first position and the second position comprises a pair of linear actuators operatively connected with the preformed container supply mechanism. The second arrangement for indexingly moving the advancement mechanism and the preformed container to be processed along the machine, comprises a programmable servo motor.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a packaging machine includes an indexing mechanism for supplying a preformed container and temporarily maintaining the preformed container stationary thereon. A movable advancement mechanism grips the preformed container as the preformed container is maintained stationary on the indexing mechanism. A loading mechanism loads the product in the preformed container and a web supply mechanism supplies a flexible web of packaging material in overlying relation to the preformed container after the preformed container has been loaded. A sealing device seals the flexible web of packaging material to the preformed container and a programmable motor means indexingly advances the preformed container from the indexing mechanism to the loading mechanism, web supply mechanism and sealing device. In this aspect of the invention, the advancement mechanism comprises a pair of spaced apart chains providing a plurality of clamping jaws for gripping the edges of the preformed container. A packaging machine also contemplates an actuating mechanism which is enagageable and disengageable with the clamping jaws to control the opening and closing thereof. The sealing device includes a separate programmable motor for moving the sealing device between a first position at which a sealing bar is engageable with the flexible web of packaging material and the preformed container and a second position at which the sealing bar is disengageable with the flexible web of packaging material and the preformed container.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the invention, a method of advancing a preformed container in a packaging apparatus comprises the steps of supplying a preformed container along a first path, temporarily holding the preformed container along the first path, moving the preformed container along a second path to a movable gripping mechanism while the preformed container is temporarily held along the first path, selectively actuating the gripping mechanism so that the preformed container is movable with the gripping mechanism and indexingly driving the gripping mechanism along the packaging apparatus by means of a programmable motor whereby the motor temporarily functions to maintain the gripping mechanism stationary while the preformed container is temporarily held along the first path.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the invention, a machine for advancing a plurality of connected preformed containers having longitudinal edges comprises a conveyor mechanism located at one end of a framework for supplying a plurality of connected preformed containers along a first path. A movable gate device is operatively connected with the conveyor mechanism for temporarily holding and subsequently releasing the preformed containers along the first path. A linear actuator mechanism is operatively connected with the conveyor mechanism for moving the preformed containers along a second path while the preformed containers are temporarily held along the first path. A movable advancement device extends along the framework for gripping the preformed containers as the preformed containers are temporarily held along the first path. The advancement mechanism includes clamping jaws for grippingly engaging the longitudinal edges of the preformed containers along the top and bottom of the longitudinal edges. An actuating bar device is positioned adjacent the clamping jaws for selectively opening and closing the clamping jaws upon the longitudinal edges of the preformed containers as the preformed containers are temporarily held along the first path. A programmable motor means indexingly drives the movable advancement mechanism and preformed containers along the framework after the gate device has released the preformed containers.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the invention, a packaging machine for sealing a plurality of connected preformed containers includes a bi-directional indexing mechanism for supplying a plurality of connected preformed containers and temporarily maintaining the preformed containers stationary thereon. A linear motor mechanism is operatively connected to the indexing mechanism for moving the indexing mechanism along one direction. A movable advancement mechanism grips the preformed containers as the preformed containers are maintained stationary on the indexing mechanism. After a loading mechanism has loaded a product into the preformed containers, a web supply mechanism supplies a flexible web of packaging material in overlying relation to the preformed containers. A sealing device seals the flexible web of packaging material to the preformed containers while a vacuum device evacuates the preformed containers and a cutting device severs the sealed preformed containers. A first programmable motor controls the sealing device and the vacuum device and a second programmable motor indexingly advances the preformed containers from the indexing mechanism to the loading mechanism, to the web supply mechanism, to the sealing device, to the vacuum device and to the cutting device.
Various other features, objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from consideration of the following description taken together with the drawings.